2 Days in Vienna Itinerary: How to Plan a Trip to Vienna (2024)

We want to help you plan the best visit possible to Vienna. In this guide, learn how to visit Vienna’s top sights without spending hours in line, the best cafes to visit, and the most efficient way to plan your time.

About this Vienna Itinerary

All of the times in the daily schedules are rough estimates, just to give you an idea about timing throughout the day. Your times may differ, based on queues and how much time you decide to spend at each place. I did my best to anticipate waiting times and visiting times, but on very busy days (or very quiet days) these times can differ.

We also have a one day in Vienna itinerary. Day 1 of this 2 days in Vienna itinerary is exactly the same as our one day in Vienna itinerary. It’s the perfect way to visit the top sights in the city center, so we saw no reason to alter this first day in Vienna. Day 2 simply adds on more places to visit, such as Schönbrunn Palace and a tour of the opera house.

You will have to do some work in advance by booking entrance tickets and restaurant reservations, but this will save you hours of time once in Vienna. We’ll let you know how to do this, too.

I do my best to keep the hours of operation and pricing up to date for each attraction, however, these can change at any time. I recommend getting updated hours and pricing for your dates of travel. The link to the official website is provided for each site.

How Many Days Do You Need in Vienna?

Two days in Vienna gives you just enough time to visit the main highlights of the city, plus dine in several amazing cafes and restaurants. Two days also gives you enough time to visit the must-see sights in the historic city center and day trip to Schönbrunn Palace.

If you can add on more time, you can either visit several off-the-beaten-path places in Vienna or start adding on day trips to Hallstatt, Salzburg, and Bratislava.

Best Things to Do with 2 Days in Vienna

Below is a list of the best places to visit if you have two days in Vienna. See the full list in our article Best Things to Do in Vienna.

• Have breakfast in a Viennese café
• Historic heart of Vienna (the Innere Stadt)
• Hofburg Palace
• Austrian National Library
• Schönbrunn Palace
• Kunsthistorisches Museum
• Vienna Opera House
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral
• Belvedere Palace
• Albertina

2 Days in Vienna Itinerary

Vienna Itinerary Day 1

Hofburg Palace, Kunsthistorisches Museum, St. Stephen’s Cathedral

On this busy but memorable day, you will visit some of the top sights in the city center of Vienna. You have the opportunity to visit several famous cafes, the perfect way to sit and take a break (and get a sugar or caffeine high) before moving on to the next place.

Overview of this itinerary:

8:00 am: Viennese Breakfast
9:00 am: Hofburg Palace
12:00 pm: Kunsthistorisches Museum and lunch
2:00 pm: Walk to St. Stephen’s Cathedral
2:30 pm: St. Stephen’s Cathedral
4:00 pm: Historic Center of Vienna
6:00 pm: Dinner

8:00 am: Viennese Breakfast

There’s no better way to start your day than having breakfast at one of Vienna’s famous cafés. Not only are coffee and pastries a delicious introduction to Vienna, but this is also a cultural experience.

Dining in a café is such an important part of the city’s culture that the Viennese coffee house culture is listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

We have a detailed guide to the best cafés in Vienna, but for breakfast this morning here are three recommendations.

Café Central. This beautiful café is one of the most popular to visit. Brilliant minds like Sigmund Freud were regular guests of this café. Since Café Central is so popular, it is essential you make a reservation in advance.

Cafe Central

Demel. Opening in 1786, this is one of the oldest cafes in Vienna. Step inside its elegant interior and dine on Sachertorte, apfelstrudels, and savory treats. It is located on Kohlmarkt.

Café Sacher. Café Sacher is famous for being the birthplace of the Sacher Torte, two layers of cake separated by apricot jam and covered in chocolate icing. Like Café Central, this café has a line out the door all day long. Make a reservation in advance.

9:00 am: Hofburg Palace

The Hofburg Palace, also called the Imperial Palace, has been the seat of government since the 13th century and the Habsburg’s winter residence.

On this itinerary, you have the entire morning at the Hofburg Palace. Believe or not, you will still have to be very selective in what you visit. The Hofburg Palace is massive with a long list of things to see and do so you could easily spend a full day here.

Here is a list of the main sights to see in the Hofburg Palace. With 3 hours, you can visit 2 to 4 of them.

The Sisi Museum & Imperial Apartments

On a 75-minute tour, see the 300 personal objects of Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) and tour the Imperial Apartments. Make your reservation in advance on the official website.

Spanish Riding School

At 10 am, training exercises are held, which are the training sessions of the famous Lipizzaner horses. This experience lasts 1 hour. Make your reservation in advance and get pricing on the official website.

The Swiss Gate

Free and quick to visit, this was the original entrance into the Hofburg Palace.

The Imperial Treasury

On display are the Imperial Crown (which served as the crown for the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire), one of the largest emeralds in the world, and an agate bowl which is considered to be the Holy Grail. A visit here lasts 30 minutes. Get hours and pricing on the official website.

Vienna Imperial Treasury

The House of Habsburgs Tour

On one ticket, visit the Armory Chamber (3,800 artifacts, including armor and weapons), the Collection of Historical Musical Instruments (Renaissance and Baroque instruments, some of which were used by famous composers), and the Weltmuseum (an ethnographic museum). For us, one of the highlights was seeing the Hall of Columns, a gorgeous hallway in the Hofburg Palace.

This “tour” is done self-guided at your own pace, so you can spend as little or as long as you like, visiting the various exhibits. We spent about an hour here. It is located in the Neue Hofburg. Get hours and pricing on the official website.

The Armory Chamber on the House of Habsburgs Tour

Hall of Columns on the House of Hapsburgs Tour

The Austrian National Library

The Austrian National Library (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek) is the largest library in Austria and one of the largest in Europe. It is located inside of the Neue Berg Wing of the Hofburg Palace.

Austrian National Library

This is not a room simply filled with books. The ceiling and upper walls are decorated with colorful frescos. Marble statues carved by Peter Strudel and Paul Strudel are located along the long hall, as well as four globes created by Vincenzo Coronelli. It is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

A visit here lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, a little longer if you want to take it all in.

On the official website, purchase your tickets in advance and get pricing and hours of operation. There are several branches of the library so make sure you are purchasing a ticket for the State Hall.

12:00 pm: Kunsthistorisches Museum

From the Hofburg Palace, it is a 5 to 10-minute walk over to the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

This museum is well worth the visit, simply to see its grand staircase and amazing frescoes on the ceiling. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in Vienna, which is really saying a lot.

Kunsthistorisches Museum

On display is an enormous amount of art which was collected by the Habsburg family. Paintings by Gustav Klimt, Titian, Michelangelo, Vermeer, Rubens, and Rembrandt grace the walls. Don’t miss the Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel, one of the most famous paintings in the museum. Also on the display are Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquities.

By this point, you are probably getting a bit hungry. As luck would have it, one of the most elegant cafés in Vienna is located in the dome hall. You can sip on more coffee, treat yourself to another decadent pastry, and have lunch. Again, make a reservation in advance.

On this itinerary, you have 2 hours to have lunch and tour the museum.

Kunsthistorisches Museum Cafe

2:00 pm: Walk to St. Stephen’s Cathedral

From the Kunsthistorisches Museum, it is a scenic walk past the Opera House and along Karnter Strasse to get to St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This walk is 1.5 km (just over 1 mile) and takes 20 minutes. The walking route is marked on our map.

Alternatively, you can skip the walk and use the metro. Get on the metro at the Volkstheater station (a 5-minute walk from the Kunsthistorisches Museum) and ride the U3 line 2 stops to Stephensplatz.

Walking Route to St. Stephen’s Cathedral

From the Kunsthistorisches Museum, walk out to the Ringstrasse (Opernring) and walk past the Burggarten, the garden next to the Hofburg Palace. Here you have the option to quickly see the statue of Mozart (Mozartdenkmal on Google Maps).

Turn left onto Karntner Strasse and walk alongside the opulent Opera House. This view from Karntner Strasse is the classic view of the front of the building (it’s also the header photo for this article). Take a few photos here, then continue on Karntner Strasse, past Hotel Sacher Wien, until you reach Stephensplatz and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Karnter Strass (in December)

St. Stephen’s Cathedral (in the evening in December)

2:30 pm: St. Stephen’s Cathedral

This ancient cathedral (it was consecrated in 1147) is the centerpiece of historic Vienna. It sits on Stephensplatz, a large square surrounded by shops and restaurants. For the remainder of the day, you’ll be visiting the cathedral and walking the pedestrian streets in heart of Vienna.

There is a lot to do at the cathedral, from viewing the nave to touring the catacombs to climbing its two towers. For the full, detailed list, take a look at our Best Things to Do in Vienna article, but here is a brief overview.

View the Nave

For free, you can enter the church and view the nave. There is a fence that limits your visit to the lobby. For a small fee, you can purchase a ticket to walk along the nave and see the side chapels.

North Tower

This is the smaller of the two towers. Since an elevator takes you all of the way to the top, it’s the easiest tower to visit. We also like the views from this one more, since you get a close-up view of the beautifully tiled roof from the outdoor observation deck. There can be a line to ride the elevator.

View from the North Tower

South Tower

Almost double the height of the North Tower, expect to burn some calories to get to the top of this tall tower (that’s one way to burn off the pastries from earlier today!). It is 343 steps to the top, mostly on a spiral staircase. The stairs end at a room on top of the tower where you will gaze out over Vienna from the windows.

View from the South Tower

Tours of the Catacombs

The catacombs can only be visited on a guided tour, which are offered multiple times of day, but it will be tricky to get this to work on this itinerary. You can get the tour times here. The tour takes about 40 minutes and photography is not allowed. You learn about the history of the burials and can see containers that hold the Habsburg’s organs. We thought the tour was just OK and skippable with limited time today.

Ticketing and More Information

For free, visit the lobby to see the nave. If you only want to walk through the nave to see the side chapels, you can do so for a small fee. If you purchase the All Inclusive Ticket, you get access to everything the cathedral. At the time of publication, tickets could only be purchased onsite with cash (no online tickets are available). Learn more on the official website.

4:00 pm: Historic Center of Vienna

For the next few hours, stroll the pedestrian streets of the Innere Stadt.

Graben starts next to St. Stephen’s Cathedral and runs up to Kohlmarkt. You can also take another stroll along Karntner Strasse. Go shopping, explore the side streets, visit St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche) or visit a café or bar for a snack or pre-dinner drink.

The Ferstel Passage is a short but beautiful covered arcade lined with boutique shops and cafes. It is also located in the old town.

Ferstel Passage

If you are looking for a bar/restaurant with rooftop views of Vienna, visit SKY @ STEFFL, which is located on Karntner Strasse. This rooftop bar and restaurant offers a unique view of the roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. You can also save this restaurant for dinner, or just have an early dinner here.

The view from SKY @ STEFFL

6:00 pm: Dinner

Have dinner and drinks in Vienna. Cafes such as Café Central, Demel, and Café Sacher all serve dinner. Café Sacher is a great place to consider, as you can end dinner with a slice of Sacher Torte. Make your reservations in advance.

We had a great experience at Onyx, a sushi restaurant located on top of the DO & CO Hotel. This restaurant has floor to ceiling windows that offer a spectacular view of St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Stephensplatz. Here is the link to the official website so you can see the menu and make your reservation in advance.

The view from Onyx

If you want to try traditional Austrian food in a rustic setting, take a look at Puerstner. Dine on Wiener Schnitzel, goulash, pork medallions with a mushroom cream sauce, spätzle, and more. See the menu on the official website.

Dining at Puerstner

This evening, you also have the option to attend a performance at the Vienna Opera House. The cheapest option is to purchase Standing Room Only tickets but tickets for general seating are reasonably priced. See show times and purchase your tickets in advance on the official website. Be aware that the Opera House does not have performances in July and August.

One more idea for an activity to do this evening is to ride the tram on the Ringstrasse. This is a cheap, low-key way to see the beautiful buildings that line the Ringstrasse illuminated in the evening.

Vienna Itinerary Day 2

Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna Opera House, Belvedere Palace or the Albertina

Today, you will leave the city center and travel out to Schönbrunn Palace. A visit to Schönbrunn Palace takes about half of a day, which gives you the afternoon in Vienna to tour the Opera House and a few more sights.

Here is an overview of today’s itinerary:

9:00 am: Travel to Schönbrunn Palace
9:30 am: Schönbrunn Palace
12:30 pm: Lunch in Vienna
2:00 pm: Opera House Tour
3:00 pm: Belvedere or Albertina & Kaisergruft
6:00 pm: Dinner

9:00 am: Travel to Schönbrunn Palace

Depending on the location of your hotel in Vienna, it takes 20 to 30 minutes to travel to Schönbrunn Palace (so you may have to adjust the 9 am start time). The easiest way to get to Schönbrunn is to take the U4 metro line to Schönbrunn.

If you need directions, use Google Maps. Enter your hotel name and Schönbrunn Palace and select the transit option for directions. Google will give you walking directions to the closest metro station to your hotel, the metro route, and walking directions to Schönbrunn Palace, with a time estimate. Add on a few extra minutes as contingency time and waiting for the metro trains to arrive.

From Schönbrunn station, it is a flat, 7-minute walk to the palace entrance.

9:30 am: Schönbrunn Palace

Schönbrunn Palace (Schloss Schönbrunn) was the summer residence of the Habsburg family. On a visit here, you can tour the interior of the palace, stroll through the gardens, and visit the Gloriette.

To enter the palace, you will need to purchase a ticket.

To tour the interior of the palace, you have several options. The shortest option is to purchase a ticket to visit the State Apartments. This takes about 25 minutes (a bit faster if you move quickly) and you see a few grand halls in the palace. The Imperial Tour takes 40 minutes and includes the apartments of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth. With 60 minutes, you can do the Grand Tour, which includes the Imperial Tour plus the rooms occupied by Maria Theresa.

We did the State Apartments and for us, this was sufficient. Our favorite part of visiting Schönbrunn Palace is walking through the gardens.

Get pricing and hours on the official website. If you plan to tour the interior, book your ticket and time slot in advance. You can also take this skip the line tour, if you prefer to tour the palace with a guide.

12:30 pm: Lunch in Vienna

Around 12:00 pm, travel back to Vienna. At 12:30, have lunch at a Viennese café, taking your pick between Café Sacher (home of the original Sacher Torte) or Gerstner Café (another popular café in Vienna). Both of these are located next to the Vienna State Opera.

To get here from Schönbrunn Palace, ride the U4 metro line to Karlsplatz and then it is a 2 to 3-minute walk to the Opera House and cafes.

You will need to make a reservation for these cafes in advance. The line for Café Sacher is very long, sometimes taking over an hour to get a table, so making a reservation in advance is a huge time saver.

Gerstner Cafe has a pastry shop on the ground level. On the first floor and second floors are restaurants and tables next to the windows have a view of the Opera House.

2:00 pm: Opera House Tour

One of the best things to do in Vienna is to tour the Vienna State Opera (Vienna Staatsoper).

To visit the inside of the opera house and learn about its history, take a 40-minute guided tour (you are not allowed to walk through the opera house without a guide, unless you are here for a performance). The tour takes you through the spectacular foyer, to the emperor’s box for a view of the stage, and the main floor of general seating.

Book your tour time in advance because this is one of the most popular things to do in Vienna.

Tour times vary by day of the week and by month, but a tour is generally offered around 2:00 pm. Be aware, however, that tours are not offered every day of the week, so in advance of your trip, look at tour times for when you will be in Vienna, and you may have to switch the order of day 1 and day 2 of this itinerary.

If tours are not being offered during your time in Vienna, you also have the option to watch a performance. The season runs from September through June, with a two month break in July and August. You can see the full schedule on the official website.

3:00 pm: Belvedere or Albertina & Kaisergruft

This afternoon you have a choice to make. Option #1 is to visit Belvedere Palace, to see Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss and works of art by other famous artists. Option #2 is to stay in the city center and visit the Albertina (an art museum) and the Imperial Crypt.

Option #1: Belvedere Palace

The Upper Belvedere Palace is a Baroque palace that is now an art museum. Inside sits over 800 years of art history, with Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss being its most famous work of art. There is also art by Monet, Jacques Louis David (Napoleon at the Great St. Bernard), and Van Gogh.

The gardens that surround the palace are also very nice to visit. Plus, you get a beautiful view of Vienna.

Belvedere Palace

Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss

Belvedere Palace is located outside of the city center. To get here from the Opera House, walk 2 minutes to the Oper, Karlsplatz U tram stop. Take Tram D towards Absberggasse, getting off at Schloss Belvedere.

For Belvedere Palace, get pricing and hours on the official website. You will make a reservation for a time slot.

Option #: Albertina and the Imperial Crypt

The Albertina

The Albertina is located across the street from the Opera House, making it very easy to get to.

The Albertina

On display is an amazing collection of Impressionist art. Works of art by Da Vinci, Michelangelo (this exhibit is focused on his study of anatomy), and Raphael are on display on the first floor. On the second floor are pieces by Degas, Cezanne, Gauguin, Monet, Renoir, Picasso, and Miró, all within three rooms.

You can easily spend an hour or more here but for those who want to see works of art by famous artists by visiting just a few rooms, this museum is well worth the visit.

Get hours and pricing on the official website. There are three branches of the museum. The Albertina is located next to the Opera House on Albertinaplatz. Albertina Modern and Albertina Klosterneuberg are located farther from the Opera House and have on display different art pieces.

Purchase your ticket online in advance or onsite.

The Imperial Crypt

The Imperial Crypt, also called the Capuchin Crypt or the Kapuzinergruft, is where the members of the House of Habsburg are entombed. This relatively small space contains the bodies of 145 members of the family, some of them resting in metal sarcophagi and remains of others in urns.

A visit here lasts about 30 minutes. Get pricing and hours on the official website.

Evening: Dinner

This evening have dinner in Vienna. Refer to day 1 of this itinerary for recommended restaurants or take a look at our Guide to Vienna Cafes and Coffee Houses.

And as listed at the end of day 1, you also have the option to attend a performance at the Vienna State Opera, ride the tram on the Ringstrasse to see the buildings illuminated at night, or to watch a concert at a venue in Vienna, such as this classical ensemble at St. Peter’s Church.

Make Your Reservations in Advance

Below we list the places in Vienna that we recommend making advance reservations and provide the links to make your planning a little bit easier.

• Sisi Museum & Imperial Apartments
• Spanish Riding School
• Austrian National Library
• Café im Kunsthistorischen Museum
• Schönbrunn Palace
• Vienna State Opera
• Belvedere Palace
• Café Central
• Café Sacher
• Gerstner Café
• Onyx Restaurant

How to Get Around Vienna

Most of the sights in the old town (Innere Stadt) are within walking distance of one another.

The metro is useful for getting into the old town and from getting across the old town.

There is also a tram that runs along the Ringstrasse. This can be a scenic way to see the beautiful buildings that line the Ringstrasse in the evening, when they are illuminated.

Best Time to Visit Vienna

Vienna is a great place to visit all year. We have been here in May (wonderfully warm and sunny) and December (magical with the Christmas markets and a few inches of snow). Here is a breakdown by season of what you can expect in Vienna:

WINTER: The winter months are cold, with average high temperatures ranging from 2°C/35°F to 7°C/45°F. At night it is generally below freezing. Winter is one of the driest times to visit Vienna. Despite the cold temperatures, rain is more likely than snow and the snowfall we witnessed was relatively rare. In winter, the days are very short, and in December, sunrise is at 7:30 am and sunset is at 4:00 pm.

SPRING: Vienna warms up nicely in the spring. In April, the average high is 16°C/60°F and in May the average high is 20°C/68°F. Rain chances increase in May, with an average of 9 days of rain during the month of May.

SUMMER: Summer is the warmest, wettest, and most crowded time to visit Vienna. The average high temperature is 27°C/80°F, although temperatures can top out over 32°C/90°F during a heat wave. In July, sunrise is at 5:10 am and sunset is at 8:50 pm.

FALL: In fall, rain chances diminish and the weather gets cooler. In October, the average high temperature is 13°C/55°F and by the time the calendar flips to November, temperatures can dip down below 10°C (into the 40’s).

VERDICT: We loved being in Vienna in early May. The warm sunny days, blooming tulips, green grass, and lower crowds than the summer months made this a wonderful time to be in the city. September has similar weather and would be another great time to visit Vienna. If you like the idea of visiting Christmas markets, plan your trip for December (and keep for fingers crossed for a dusting of snow).

Vienna in December (Christkindlmarkt)

Where to Stay in Vienna

For mid-range travelers, we recommend Pension Sacher (apartments with a prime location on Stephensplatz), Hotel Austria – Wien, and Boutique Hotel Nossek.

If you prefer an apartment stay, take a look at 7th Heaven Vienna Center Apartments, which is located in Spittelberg, a short walk from the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the MuseumQuartier.

For the ultimate in luxury, stay in the Ritz-Carlton, Hotel Sacher Wien, or Rosewood Vienna.

For budget travelers, we recommend JO&JOE Vienna (a hostel with great reviews that sits outside of the city center but is located on a convenient metro line) or Vienna Boutique – Premium Hostel (also located near JO&JOE).

Tours of Vienna

Joining a tour can help save you time waiting in line, allow you to learn more about Vienna from a knowledgeable guide, and introduce you to sights that you may not be able to do on your own. Here are some of the best tours in Vienna.

Tour the Sisi Apartments and the Hofburg Palace with an experienced guide.

Listen to the Four Seasons by Vivaldi at Karlskirche or attend a classical ensemble at St. Peter’s Church.

If you plan to visit Schönbrunn Palace, this skip-the-line-tour gets rave reviews.

You can also go wine tasting, take a walking tour of the city center, or take a World War II Historical Walking Tour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 2 days enough for Vienna?

Two days in Vienna gives you just enough time to visit the must-see places in the city, such as the Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna’s famous pedestrian streets and cafés, Schönbrunn Palace, and the Vienna State Opera.

What should you not miss in Vienna?

Here are the best things to do in Vienna if it is your first time in the city:

• Vienna State Opera
• Hofburg Palace
• The historic heart of Vienna
• Schönbrunn Palace
• Dine at a Viennese café
• Have a slice of Sacher Torte
• Belvedere Palace
• Kunsthistorisches Museum
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral

What are the best day trips from Vienna?

Vienna makes a great home base for exploring nearby towns in Austria and Slovakia. Bratislava, Slovakia is also located on the Danube River and can easily be visited on a day trip from Vienna. Salzburg, Austria and Hallstatt, Austria are located farther from Vienna but can also be visited on a longer day trip.

Where Are You Going Next?

If you are just beginning to plan your trip to Vienna, take a look at our 10 Day Central Europe Itinerary, which also includes Budapest and Prague.

VIENNA: Get started with our article about the best things to do in Vienna. We also have a guide to 10 must-visit cafes and coffee houses in Vienna. If you have less than 2 days in Vienna, take a look at our One Day in Vienna itinerary.

MORE PLACES TO VISIT IN AUSTRIA: Learn how to spend one day in Hallstatt, one day in Salzburg, and don’t miss our guide to the best things to do in Innsbruck.

CHRISTMAS IN VIENNA: Vienna has some of the best Christmas markets in Europe. We also have a short but scenic walking tour of the Vienna Christmas lights and top landmarks in the city center.

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY: Learn how to plan your visit with our 2 Day Budapest Itinerary.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Learn how to day trip to Cesky Krumlov and get a list of the best things to do in Prague.

If you have any questions about how to spend 2 days in Vienna or planning a Vienna itinerary, let us know in the comment section below.

Header Photo: TTstudio/shutterstock.com

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